TFTEA

The TFTEA – Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 – is a U.S. law that exists to ensure a fair and competitive trade environment. United States Customs and Border Protection (CPB) positions TFTEA as “helping American workers and American businesses compete fairly with the rest of the world.”

What Is TFTEA?

The TFTEA was established to serve as a comprehensive approach for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to apply trade facilitation and enforcement by:

  • Protecting U.S. economic security through trade enforcement.
  • Collaborating with the private sector through direct engagement.
  • Streamlining and modernizing through business transformation.
What Does the TFTEA Regulate?

The U.S. Congress created the TFTEA to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to executive activities that facilitate trade and enforcement regulations, focusing on these key areas:

What Is a Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)?

The Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) applies to World Trade Organization (WTO) Members that have accepted the Protocol.

How Does U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforce the TFTEA?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) focuses trade enforcement efforts on Priority Trade Issues (PTIs). The agency states it is “committed to facilitating a proactive, aggressive, and dynamic trade enforcement system” as it works to protect American consumers and the “economic prosperity” of the United States.
CPB administers trade policy by collecting duties and enforcing remedies to create a level playing field for American business. CBP selects audit candidates, directs special enforcement operations, facilitates outreach, and creates regulatory initiatives.

Priority Trade Issues (PTIs) are identified based on risk levels for revenue loss, harm to the U.S. economy, or threat to the health and safety of the American people. PTIs drive risk-informed resource investments and enforcement of facilitation efforts conducted by CBP. Current Priority Trade initiatives are listed here.

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What Is a TFTEA Drawback Claim?
TFTEA Drawback (19 CFR 190) is a whole or partial refund of duties, fees, and internal revenue taxes imposed on imported merchandise. Claim payments are calculated based on the exportation or destruction of imported merchandise or a valid substitute.

Drawback claims must be filed electronically in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) platform for U.S. Customs and Border Protection trade processing.

What Is the Limit for Filing Charges on TFTEA Drawback Claims?
Each drawback claim is limited to a combination of 10,000 parts, pieces, and styles in the import, manufacturing, and export or destroyed records per drawback claim.
How MercuryGate TMS Supports TFTEA Compliance

Businesses navigating U.S. Customs and Border Protection policies and requirements need a transportation management system (TMS) that supports TFTEA compliance and drawback claim filing. MercuryGate TMS streamlines compliance workflows and document management while supporting end-to-end visibility and global trade management.

MercuryGate’s robust TMS helps businesses manage global sourcing, international shipments, and customs and compliance.

MercuryGate Customs & Trade Compliance: Drives efficiency and accuracy across U.S. import processes to ensure customs brokers and importers can manage, file, track, and report on key supply chain activities.

MercuryGate Shipment and Order Visibility: Reduces fragmentation across transportation networks by providing a detailed view of multimodal freight at the vessel, container, order, and item level.

MercuryGate Global Sourcing and Compliance: Validates goods from source to shelf with improved traceability and transparency designed to help businesses maintain product integrity.

Maximize efficiency and keep track of the most important shipping details to achieve compliance and cost savings when importing goods into the United States. Learn more about MercuryGate Global Sourcing and Compliance to get started.

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